ABSTRACT: The effect of cortex/medulla proportions on molecular diagnoses in kidney transplant biopsies: rejection and injury can be assessed in medulla
Project description:Histologic assessment of kidney transplant biopsies relies on cortex rather than medulla, but for microarray studies, the proportion cortex in a biopsy is typically unknown and could affect the molecular readings. The present study aimed to develop a molecular estimate of proportion cortex in biopsies and examine its effect on molecular diagnoses. Microarrays from 26 kidney transplant biopsies divided into cortex and medulla components and processed separately showed that many of the most significant differences were in glomerular genes e.g. NPHS2, NPHS1, CLIC5, PTPRO, PLA2R1, PLCE1, PODXL and REN. Using NPHS2 (podocin) to estimate proportion cortex, we examined whether proportion cortex influenced molecular assessment in the Molecular Microscope Diagnostic System. In 1190 unselected kidney transplant indication biopsies (Clinicaltrials.govNCT01299168), only 11% had <50% cortex. Molecular scores for ABMR, TCMR, and injury were independent of proportion cortex. Rejection was diagnosed in many biopsies that were mostly or all medulla. Agreement in molecular diagnoses in paired cortex/medulla samples (23/26) was similar to biological replicates (32/37). We conclude that NPHS2 expression can estimate proportion cortex; that proportion cortex has little influence on molecular diagnosis of rejection, and that, although histology cannot assess medulla, rejection does occur in medulla as well as cortex. We studied 26 pairs of cortex/medulla biopsies from 26 patients (4 unpaired), characterizing the clinical and histological features, and defined the mRNA phenotype with Affymetrix expression microarrays. We also studied 37 pairs of biopsies from biological replicates and 12 pairs from technical replicates. This dataset is part of the TransQST collection.
Project description:Histologic assessment of kidney transplant biopsies relies on cortex rather than medulla, but for microarray studies, the proportion cortex in a biopsy is typically unknown and could affect the molecular readings. The present study aimed to develop a molecular estimate of proportion cortex in biopsies and examine its effect on molecular diagnoses. Microarrays from 26 kidney transplant biopsies divided into cortex and medulla components and processed separately showed that many of the most significant differences were in glomerular genes e.g. NPHS2, NPHS1, CLIC5, PTPRO, PLA2R1, PLCE1, PODXL and REN. Using NPHS2 (podocin) to estimate proportion cortex, we examined whether proportion cortex influenced molecular assessment in the Molecular Microscope Diagnostic System. In 1190 unselected kidney transplant indication biopsies (Clinicaltrials.govNCT01299168), only 11% had <50% cortex. Molecular scores for ABMR, TCMR, and injury were independent of proportion cortex. Rejection was diagnosed in many biopsies that were mostly or all medulla. Agreement in molecular diagnoses in paired cortex/medulla samples (23/26) was similar to biological replicates (32/37). We conclude that NPHS2 expression can estimate proportion cortex; that proportion cortex has little influence on molecular diagnosis of rejection, and that, although histology cannot assess medulla, rejection does occur in medulla as well as cortex.
Project description:Histologic diagnosis of T cell-mediated rejection in kidney transplant biopsies has limited reproducibility because it is based on non-specific lesions using arbitrary rules that are subject to differing interpretations. We used microarray results from 403 indication biopsies previously given histologic diagnoses to develop a molecular classifier that assigned a molecular T cell-mediated rejection score to each biopsy. Independent assessment of the biopsies by multiple pathologists confirmed considerable disagreement on the presence of TCMR features: 79-88% accuracy and 35-69% sensitivity. The agreement of the molecular T cell-mediated rejection score with the histology diagnosis was similar to agreement among individual pathologists: accuracy 89%, sensitivity 51%. However, the score also predicted the consensus among pathologists, being highest when all agreed. Many discrepancies between the scores and the histologic diagnoses were in situations where histology is unreliable e.g. scarred biopsies. The score correlated with histologic lesions and gene sets associated with T cell-mediated rejection. The transcripts most often selected by the classifier were expressed in effector T cells, dendritic cells, or macrophages or inducible by interferon-gamma. Thus the T cell-mediated rejection score offers an objective assessment of kidney transplant biopsies, predicting the consensus opinion among multiple pathologists, and offering insights into underlying disease mechanisms. Antibody-mediated rejection is a major cause of kidney transplant failure, but the current diagnostic system misses most cases due to dependency on subjective non-standardized tests. We hypothesized that molecular features could provide a test to address this problem. We classified 403 biopsies by a reference standard based on microcirculation lesions and donor-specific HLA antibody, and used microarray analysis to develop a classifier that assigned each biopsy a score reflecting the probability of antibody-mediated rejection. The scores correlated with donor-specific antibody and histologic lesions: 42/45 biopsies with antibody-mediated rejection scores >0.5 had both donor-specific antibody and microcirculation lesions. Intermediate scores (0.2-0.5) were more ambiguous, but became more specific combined with donor-specific antibody. Compared to diagnoses based on histology-plus-donor-specific antibody, the scores had sensitivity 0.67; specificity 0.90. Donor-specific antibody improved the specificity to 0.97. The score correlated not only with diagnoses of individual pathologists but with the consensus among multiple pathologists. The classifier used transcripts expressed in endothelial cells (e.g. CDH13, DARC, ROBO4) and NK cells (e.g. CX3CR1, FGFBP2), as well as IFNG-inducible transcripts e.g. CXCL11. Thus the molecular phenotype of antibody-mediated rejection provides not only an objective test that predicts microcirculation lesions and donor-specific HLA antibody, but also offers mechanistic insights. All consenting renal transplant patients undergoing biopsies for cause as standard of care. 403 samples and 8 controls (nephrectomies). This dataset is part of the TransQST collection.
Project description:Molecular diagnosis of rejection is emerging in kidney, heart, and lung transplant biopsies and could offer insights for liver transplant biopsies. Groups differed in median time post-transplant e.g. R3injury 99 days vs. R4late 3117 days. R2TCMR biopsies expressed typical TCMR-related transcripts e.g. intense IFNG-induced effects. R3injury displayed increased expression of parenchymal injury transcripts (e.g. hypoxia-inducible factor EGLN1). R4late biopsies showed immunoglobulin transcripts and injury-related transcripts. R2TCMR correlated with histologic rejection although with many discrepancies, and R4late with fibrosis. R2TCMR, R3injury, and R4late correlated with liver function abnormalities. Supervised classifiers trained on histologic rejection showed less agreement with histology than unsupervised R2TCMR scores. No confirmed cases of clinical ABMR were present in the population, and strategies that previously revealed antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) in kidney and heart transplants failed to reveal a liver ABMR phenotype. In conclusion, molecular analysis of liver transplant biopsies detects rejection, has the potential to resolve ambiguities, and could assist with immunosuppressive management.
Project description:Clinical kidney biopsies variably contain cortex and medulla depending on biopsy depth and angle. Therefore, biopsy composition may alter the transcriptional profile and confound conclusions drawn from differential gene expression analysis. To account for this in retrieval biopsies, we assessed differences in gene expression between paired cortex and medulla samples in n=5 human kidneys.
Project description:18 zero-hour and 18 selected post-transplant (Tx) biopsy samples from 18 kidney allografts (8 acute kidney injury (AKI), 10 PBx - protocol biopsies - controls) were analyzed by using the Affymetrix GeneChipM-BM-. miRNA 3.0 Array. Comparison between control group (protocol biopsies) and indication biopsies with histological lesions of acute tubular necrosis without rejection (ATN).
Project description:18 zero-hour and 18 selected post-transplant (Tx) biopsy samples from 18 kidney allografts (8 acute kidney injury (AKI), 10 PBx - protocol biopsies - controls) were analyzed by using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Gene 2.0 ST Array. comparison between control group (protocol biopsies) and indication biopsies with histological lesions of acute tubular necrosis without rejection (ATN)
Project description:Histologic diagnosis of T cell-mediated rejection in kidney transplant biopsies has limited reproducibility because it is based on non-specific lesions using arbitrary rules that are subject to differing interpretations. We used microarray results from 403 indication biopsies previously given histologic diagnoses to develop a molecular classifier that assigned a molecular T cell-mediated rejection score to each biopsy. Independent assessment of the biopsies by multiple pathologists confirmed considerable disagreement on the presence of TCMR features: 79-88% accuracy and 35-69% sensitivity. The agreement of the molecular T cell-mediated rejection score with the histology diagnosis was similar to agreement among individual pathologists: accuracy 89%, sensitivity 51%. However, the score also predicted the consensus among pathologists, being highest when all agreed. Many discrepancies between the scores and the histologic diagnoses were in situations where histology is unreliable e.g. scarred biopsies. The score correlated with histologic lesions and gene sets associated with T cell-mediated rejection. The transcripts most often selected by the classifier were expressed in effector T cells, dendritic cells, or macrophages or inducible by interferon-gamma. Thus the T cell-mediated rejection score offers an objective assessment of kidney transplant biopsies, predicting the consensus opinion among multiple pathologists, and offering insights into underlying disease mechanisms. Antibody-mediated rejection is a major cause of kidney transplant failure, but the current diagnostic system misses most cases due to dependency on subjective non-standardized tests. We hypothesized that molecular features could provide a test to address this problem. We classified 403 biopsies by a reference standard based on microcirculation lesions and donor-specific HLA antibody, and used microarray analysis to develop a classifier that assigned each biopsy a score reflecting the probability of antibody-mediated rejection. The scores correlated with donor-specific antibody and histologic lesions: 42/45 biopsies with antibody-mediated rejection scores >0.5 had both donor-specific antibody and microcirculation lesions. Intermediate scores (0.2-0.5) were more ambiguous, but became more specific combined with donor-specific antibody. Compared to diagnoses based on histology-plus-donor-specific antibody, the scores had sensitivity 0.67; specificity 0.90. Donor-specific antibody improved the specificity to 0.97. The score correlated not only with diagnoses of individual pathologists but with the consensus among multiple pathologists. The classifier used transcripts expressed in endothelial cells (e.g. CDH13, DARC, ROBO4) and NK cells (e.g. CX3CR1, FGFBP2), as well as IFNG-inducible transcripts e.g. CXCL11. Thus the molecular phenotype of antibody-mediated rejection provides not only an objective test that predicts microcirculation lesions and donor-specific HLA antibody, but also offers mechanistic insights.
Project description:Acute rejection threatens kidney allograft longevity. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a real-time marker of organ injury and immune response. DNA methylation is an epigenetic marker that regulates gene expression. We aim to elucidate differential methylation of total plasma cfDNA between pediatric kidney transplant recipients in the presence compared to the absence of acute rejection. In doing so, we hope to exploit the property of cfDNA as a real-time biomarker and build on available testing to identify genes and processes participating in acute allograft rejection pathophysiology in kidney transplantation. Twenty plasma cfDNA samples from pediatric kidney transplant recipients were collected at the time of allograft biopsy. Using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), differentially methylated cytosines were identified in presence vs absence of acute rejection. Separate analyses were performed comparing those with borderline rejection to those with rejection, and to those without rejection. Differentially methylated cytosines were then assessed for gene associations and pathway enrichments. Acute rejection was present in 7 biopsies, borderline rejection in 4 biopsies, and no rejection in 9 biopsies. In the comparison of acute rejection to non-rejection biopsies, there were 34,356 differentially methylated cytosines corresponding to 1,269 associated genes, and 533 enriched pathways. These numbers were all substantially greater (4x-13x) than the comparisons made between acute rejection against those with borderline rejection, and between non-rejection against borderline rejection. Prominently enriched pathways between samples of individuals with and without acute rejection were related to immune cell regulation, inflammatory response, lipid metabolism, and tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism. Our data suggest methylation plays a role in development of or response to acute kidney allograft rejection. Specifically, differentially methylated pathways associated with acute rejection include those related to immune and inflammatory responses.
Project description:Most kidney transplant patients who undergo biopsies are classified as having no rejection based on consensus thresholds. However, we hypothesized that because these patients have normal adaptive immune systems, T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) and antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) may exist as subthreshold activity in some transplants currently classified as no rejection. Subthreshold molecular TCMR and/or ABMR activity molecular activity was detectable as elevated classifier scores in many biopsies classified as no rejection, with ABMR activity in many TCMR biopsies and TCMR activity in many ABMR biopsies. In biopsies classified as no rejection histologically and molecularly, molecular TCMR classifier scores correlated with increases in histologic TCMR features and molecular injury, lower eGFR, and higher risk of graft loss, and molecular ABMR activity correlated with increased glomerulitis and donor-specific antibody. No rejection biopsies with high subthreshold TCMR or ABMR activity had a higher probability of having TCMR or ABMR respectively diagnosed in a future biopsy. We conclude that many kidney transplant recipients have unrecognized subthreshold TCMR or ABMR activity, with significant implications for future problems.